“Turkey. 2008-2014” project

Turkey is a fast developing country and it changes very much every year. Many places which I photographed a couple of years ago look quite different now: new buildings, new roads and highways, new stadiums… But there are still many places where people are mostly still not rich and live “traditionally”: with traditional household, farming, culture, tools, clothes, economy. But it changes very fast. Day by day fewer and fewer places with the “traditional” lifestyle could be seen. These changes are doubly interesting, since Turkey is a border and in the same time the bridge between Europe and Asia. And it can’t finally decide – is it more European or Asian? This uncertainty is clearly seen if you compare East and West of Turkey. This project is about outgoing vestigial Turkey and it will be a memory about today’s and yesterday’s Turkey very soon.

All photos are captured using hand-made soft lens with the B&W negative film. No computer manipulations.

Using hand-made soft focus lens helps to eliminate some details to get the general view, to make the pictures out of time and to emphasize the light.

Awnings above the stalls in the marketplace of Tekirdag town. Tu
Awnings above the stalls in the marketplace of Tekirdag town. Turkey, 10.01.2008
A man is drinking wine in the marketplace on non-trading day. To
A man is drinking wine in the marketplace on non-trading day. Town of Beykoz near Istanbul. Turkey, 06.01.2008
Cyclists and teenagers near the road in Düzce town. Turkey, 07
Cyclists and teenagers near the road in DГјzce town. Turkey, 07.01.2008
Man is gathering the coal on the beach near Zonguldak. Coal is u
Man is gathering the coal on the beach near Zonguldak. Coal is used in small stoves for heating the quarters allover Turkey. Zonguldak region is one of the main coal mining areas of Turkey. 07.01.2008
Poultry dealers near the marketplace of Tekirdag town. Turkey, 1
Poultry dealers near the marketplace of Tekirdag town. Turkey, 10.01.2008
Road near the town of Muratli (Tekirdag region). Turkey, 10.01.2
Road near the town of Muratli (Tekirdag region). Turkey, 10.01.2008
Scrap collector in Fatih district of Istanbul. Turkey, 05.01.200
Scrap collector in Fatih district of Istanbul. Turkey, 05.01.2008
View from Karaköy district (fish market near Gakata bridge) to
View from Karaköy district (fish market near Gakata bridge) to the ferryboat in Golden Horn bay, Istanbul. Turkey, 15.01.2008
View from Karaköy district to the Golden Horn bay, Istanbul. Tu
View from Karaköy district to the Golden Horn bay, Istanbul. Turkey, 15.01.2008
Stray dogs fed up by the inhabitants of the ships which are made
Stray dogs fed up by the inhabitants of the ships which are made fast at the Karaköy wharf, Istanbul. Turkey, 15.01.2008
Farmers are working on the plant plot near the ancient Walls of
Farmers are working on the plant plot near the ancient Walls of Constantinople (Theodosian Walls). Turkey, 14.01.2008
New Mosque Square, Istanbul. View from Galata Bridge. Turkey, 15
New Mosque Square, Istanbul. View from Galata Bridge. Turkey, 15.01.2008
Harvesting the olives for the olive oil making. Women are collec
Harvesting the olives for the olive oil making. Women are collecting the olives which fell aside the nets spread out around the trees. Turkey, 07.01.2009
Harvesting the olives for the olive oil making. Women are collec
Harvesting the olives for the olive oil making. Women are collecting the olives which fell aside the nets spread out around the trees. Turkey, 07.01.2009
Firewood stocking in Çanakkale surroundings, situated near Dard
Firewood stocking in Çanakkale surroundings, situated near Dardanelles strait. Turkey, 07.01.2009
Asylum for dogs on the peninsula hill protruded to the Black Sea
Asylum for dogs on the peninsula hill protruded to the Black Sea in Sinop city. Turkey, 12.01.2009
Near  the temporary cattle market place, arranged in the outskir
Near the temporary cattle market place, arranged in the outskirts of Edirne town during the celebration of Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha). Turkey, 27.11.2009
Edirne, Turkey. 27.11.2009
Woman supervises the sheep butchering on the temporary cattle ma
Woman supervises the sheep butchering on the temporary cattle market place, arranged in the outskirts of Edirne town during the celebration of Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha). Turkey, 27.11.2009
The waggoner delivering the loads (including sheep) on the tempo
The waggoner delivering the loads (including sheep) on the temporary market cattle, arranged for the period of the holiday of Kurban Bayram, on the outskirts of Edirne. Turkey, 27.11.2009
Children of Roma near their shack in the district of Fener in Fa
Children of Roma near their shack in the district of Fener in Fatih, Istanbul. Turkey, 26.11.2009
Hair washing. Vendors who brought sheep from Erzurum for sale,
Hair washing. Vendors who brought sheep from Erzurum for sale, living here, at the time the market animals, arranged for the period of the holiday of Kurban-Bairam in Istanbul. Turkey, 29.11.2009
View of the Golden Horn and Bosporus junction  in Eminönü dist
View of the Golden Horn and Bosporus junction in Eminönü district, Istanbul. Turkey, 29.11.2009
The owner and employee of the mill at one of the units of the mi
The owner and employee of the mill at one of the units of the mill. The settlement between the towns of Kirikkale and Yozgat (east of Ankara). Turkey, 14.01.2010
Geological exploration drilling for future building on the hill
Geological exploration drilling for future building on the hill on the northern outskirts of Ankara. Turkey, 15.01.2010
Geological exploration drilling for future building on the hill
Geological exploration drilling for future building on the hill on the northern outskirts of Ankara. Turkey, 15.01.2010
At the marketplace in the Kırklareli town. Turkey, 06.01.2010
At the marketplace in the Kırklareli town. Turkey, 06.01.2010
Landscape by the way to Limanköy town (near Bulgarian border).
Landscape by the way to Limanköy town (near Bulgarian border). Turkey, 06.01.2010
Bosphorus embankment. Istanbul, Turkey, 04.01.2011
Bosphorus embankment. Istanbul, Turkey, 04.01.2011
Long-distance bus washing near Tosya town. Turkey, 05.01.2011
Long-distance bus washing near Tosya town. Turkey, 05.01.2011
Automotrise (railcar) stop in Suluova town near Amasya. Turkey,
Automotrise (railcar) stop in Suluova town near Amasya. Turkey, 05.01.2011
A man fills sacks with hay. Town of  Aşkale near Erzurum. Turke
A man fills sacks with hay. Town of AЕџkale near Erzurum. Turkey, 06.01.2011
Boy is getting home with dry plants gathered in wetland.  Bardak
Boy is getting home with dry plants gathered in wetland. Bardakli settlement, Turkey, 08.01.2011
Man shares cigarets with another at the marketplace in Diyarbakï
Man shares cigarets with another at the marketplace in Diyarbakır. Turkey, 10.01.2011
In the service room in  the marketplace in Diyarbakır.Turkey, 1
In the service room in the marketplace in Diyarbakır. Turkey, 10.01.2011
In a teashop in Diyarbakır. Turkey, 10.01.2011
In a teashop in Diyarbakır. Turkey, 10.01.2011
Fishermen are digging up the net they have hidden for safety. Ç
Fishermen are digging up the net they have hidden for safety. Dardanelles. Turkey, 13.01.2011
Landscape on the spit in Dardanelles near Çardak town.Turkey, 1
Landscape on the spit in Dardanelles near Çardak town.Turkey, 13.01.2011
People help to the loader to unload at the market in Istanbul. T
People help to the loader to unload at the market in Istanbul. Turkey, 01.09.2011
Sunday flea market near Beyezid Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey. Novemb
Sunday flea market near Beyezid Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey. November 2012
Man cleans the window of confectioner's shop. Fener district, Is
Man cleans the window of confectioner's shop. Fener district, Istanbul, Turkey. November 2012
Mirrors hanged for the sale at the fence of the metro bridge con
Mirrors hanged for the sale at the fence of the metro bridge construction site. Istanbul. Turkey, January 2013
Black Sea shore near Akçakoca town. Turkey, January 2013
Black Sea shore near Akçakoca town. Turkey, January 2013
Bus terminal. Zonguldak, Turkey, January 2013
Bus terminal. Zonguldak, Turkey, January 2013
Pier, Akçakoca town. Turkey, January 2013
Pier, Akçakoca town. Turkey, January 2013
Flea market near Beyezid Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey, March 2013
Flea market near Beyezid Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey, March 2013
Harvesting the wheat near Erzurum. Turkey, August 2013
Harvesting the wheat near Erzurum. Turkey, August 2013
Near the salt lake (Tuz Golu). South from Ankara, Turkey, 1.11.2
Near the salt lake (Tuz Golu). South from Ankara, Turkey, 1.11.2014
Tokat, Turkey. 03.11.2014
Tokat, Turkey. 03.11.2014
South from Unye, Northern Turkey. 03.11.2014
South from Unye, Northern Turkey. 03.11.2014
South from Unye, Northern Turkey. 03.11.2014
South from Unye, Northern Turkey. 03.11.2014
Samsun, Turkey, 4.11.2014
Samsun, Turkey, 4.11.2014
Picniс on the Black sea shore  among the ships parked on the ke
Picnic on the Black sea shore among the ships parked on the keel blocks. Sinop, Turkey, 4.11.2014
Eregli, Turkey, 6.11.2014
Eregli, Turkey, 6.11.2014
Eregli, Turkey, 6.11.2014
Eregli, Turkey, 6.11.2014
Istanbul, Turkey, 7.11.2014
Istanbul, Turkey, 7.11.2014
Istanbul, Turkey, 8.11.2014
Istanbul, Turkey, 8.11.2014